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Trip Planning Assistance Accommodations Listings Itineraries Events & Festival Information Restaurant Support Outfitter & Tour Information Visitor Guide Industry Partnerships Tourism North is a non-profit association of Northern Manitoba community and industry reps and receives annual operating funding and support from the Province of Manitoba Instagram: @TourismNorth I f he's caught in a winter blizzard, sled dog racer Dave Daley knows he can rely on his faithful team of canines to guide him home to Churchill, where he and his wife Valerie operate Wapusk Adventures, a local business including a gift shop, a hotel and dog sled adventures. In turn, his dogs have a loyal champion in Daley. "A person who understands the talents of each of his dogs, shows them lots of affection, attends to their health problems and feeds them good, nutritional food will be able to raise and train a top-notch sled dog team," he says. "Mistreated animals will never be completely faithful or give 100 per cent during a race because they harbour resentment against their human owner." Daley first raced into the public purview in 2010 when he rode his dogsled 1,200 kilometres from Churchill to Winnipeg to salute Indigenous peoples' contributions to the province at the Manitoba Homecoming celebrations. Daley, who is Métis, was raised in Churchill. He is an avid outdoorsman who found he has a natural ability to work with sled dogs. "My friend Robert MacDonald owned a dog team, and I spent a lot of time with him learning how to handle, train and race the animals," he says. In 2004, the fearless musher organized the first Hudson Bay Quest (HBQ), a sled dog race that ran on a gruelling route between Churchill and Nunavut that subjected mushers to blizzard conditions, freezing cold and unpredictable sea ice. In 2011, the initial HBQ route was deemed too dangerous and the race was re-inaugurated as a 320-kilometre run from Churchill to Gillam or the reverse (the start and finish lines alternate between the two communities each year). Daley says the HBQ is unique in that participants must pack sufficient food for themselves and their dogs for the duration of the 36-hour, non-stop marathon. The competition is also a qualifier for the Yukon Quest and the Alaska-based Iditarod. Daley's Ididamile trail is his witty homage to the mighty Iditarod. His kennel and two sleds are also located near the trail that wends through breathtaking boreal forest about four miles outside of Churchill. Tourists pay about $100 for a ride on one of his sleds and receive a certificate that proclaims, "The bearer of this certificate has completed the Ididamile with Wapusk Adventures." Though capable of wry, and sometimes not-so-wry humour, Daley has a serious side that manifests in his respect and love for his dogs, mostly husky crosses. As part of the Ididamile experience, Daley gives a presentation about the history of dog sledding in the Arctic as well as tips on how to pick the best dogs for team positions. "The lead dogs are the most intelligent, followed by the swing dogs who turn the sled. Team dogs provide the power to move the sled when it's in motion while wheel dogs directly in front of the musher are the strongest as they are required to get the sled moving from a standstill," he explains. While waiting for their turn on the sleds, guests are treated to hot chocolate and fresh bannock in a heated cabin. Daley says one of the best times to visit Churchill is midwinter to see the aurora borealis. From January to March, the northern lights are especially spectacular, dancing across the sky in myriad colours that luminesce, disappear and then burst forth again in a mystical display of energy that delights the human soul. During the months when there is no snow on the ground, the sleds are replaced with carts with wheels so visitors can still enjoy the thrill of a sled ride, as well as relish the rich beauty of thousands of wildflowers in bloom. Guests are allowed to feed the dogs at the end of the Ididamile, and to play with a recent litter of puppies that Daley says will likely form his last dog team. "Sled dogs can live up to 16 years, so I'm looking at a long-term commitment and I'm getting close to the age when people consider early retirement," he says. Valerie, who operates the other half of the couple's enterprise, is kept busy stocking the gift shop (the Wapusk General Store) and booking accommodations at the Aurora hotel. Now that their kids are grown, the pair think of the business as an enjoyable hobby. "I make a very good living as a full-time aircraft mechanic with Calm Air in Churchill, so there is no reason for us to exhaust ourselves trying to make a large profit from our business," Daley says. "It's supposed to be a part-time job that gives us both a lot of enjoyment. If it grew into more than that, the fun would be gone and the business would become a burden. "We want this to be a place of happiness where people can enjoy the friendship of our faithful dogs and sled through some of the most beautiful wilderness in the world." To book accommodations, package tours and off-season sled rides, contact Valerie at 204-675-2887 or email wapusk@mymts.net. Learn more at wapuskadventures.com. DOGS' BEST FRIEND BY DAVID SQUARE PHOTOS COURTESY OF WAPUSK ADVENTURES Churchill musher and his faithful team tackle the Ididamile daily "We want this to be a place of happiness where people can enjoy the friendship of our faithful dogs and sled through some of the most beautiful wilderness in the world."

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